The memoirs of Vice-Admiral Sir William Robson

Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Robson was born in Ceylon [Sri Lanka] in 1902, joining the navy as a cadet in 1915 and educated at RNC Osborne and Dartmouth.

He served as Midshipman, "HMS Malaya", 1918; he served in Destroyers, 1922-37, commanding "HMS Rowena", 1934, and "HMS Wren", 1935-6. During World War Two he commanded "HMS Kandahar", 1939-41; he joined the staff of Combined Operations, 1942-3; commanded the 26th Destroyer Flotilla, 1944, in "HMS Hardy"; was Captain of Coastal Forces (Nore), 1945; then commanded "HMS Superb", 1945-7, and "HMS Ganges", 1947-9; was President of Admiralty Interview Board, 1949-50, Flag Officer (Flotillas), Home Fleet, 1951-3, Flag Officer, Scotland, 1952-6, and Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic, 1956-8. He retired in 1958, subsequently acting as Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Guernsey, 1958-64.

He was awarded a DSO 1940 (Bar 1941); DSC 1941, CB in 1953 and the KBE in 1956.

He died in December 1989.

"My naval life", with photocopies of photographs of Robson's family and the ships he served on

The papers were presented to Churchill Archives Centre by William Robson (son of Vice Admiral Robson) in December 1990

This collection is owned by Churchill College, Cambridge

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge. Churchill Archives Centre is open from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. A prior appointment and two forms of identification are required.

Researchers wishing to publish excerpts from the papers must obtain prior permission from the copyright holders and should seek advice from Archives Centre staff.

Please cite as Churchill Archives Centre, The memoirs of Vice-Admiral Sir William Robson, RBSN

A copy of this finding aid and a box list of the collection are available for consultation at Churchill Archives Centre, Cambridge, the National Register of Archives, London and on the Janus website, http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/.

This catalogue and collection (fonds) level description was prepared by Andrew Riley of Churchill Archives Centre in September 2003.